The ramblings of a pilgrim through time, space, and life.

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Idaho’s Craig

It seems I keep getting this bombardment of what I think about Senator Craig. Well, here we go.

I have no quarrels with the man. He wasn’t always the nicest man in the hallway when passing. Then again, I don’t think I have met a Senator yet who really went out of their way to say hello. That is the extent of my personal experience with him. I think I said hello twice passing in the underground tunnels between the Dirksen and Russell Buildings.

Beyond that, here is my take on the scenario. Idaho seems to like him and have always done so. He met their needs and I think he enjoyed his role as Senator.

However, the little ordeal in Minneapolis is something that was quite foolish. Having been in stupid positions before, I know all the little ways you try and weasel out of it. Which it surely sounds like he did. I am not so much concerned what happened in that stall, whether he was soliciting or not, but he played the weasel in trying to get out of it. For the most part, he was successful. They only charged him for disorderly conduct. It would be hard to catch him on more unless he allowed the police officer to actually climb in his stall or he climbed in the other one. Then I would say we have serious grounds for what his intentions were. Picking up toilet paper, a piece of paper, with whatever hand, or just waving a nice hello to the person in the stall next to him doesn’t really matter. To me they don’t prove anything lewd or a great breaking of the law. Now if there was a mirror in his hand, there are some issues…

It does bother me that police don’t have something better to do than sit in a bathroom stall to find those who want to enjoy some time with another man. On the other hand, I am disappointed that people actually do this enough that it is a public disturbance that the police have to be called in to do this. At any rate, it is a bad note of commentary of the society that use the restrooms at Minneapolis. I expect this is a wider problem than just the cold and snow of Minnesota.

Alright, the Senator got caught with his hand in another stall. For what reason, I don’t think I or Idahoans generally care. The lying or trying to back peddle out of it, that seems just human nature to a large degree. I can even see pleading guilty to the charge to just be done with it. How many of us could really fight that speeding ticket they say we were going 11 over when we are pretty sure it wasn’t more than 8? But we pay it just to be over and done with it. That seems like what has happened here. Okay, I am fine with that.

I am somewhat concerned that a US Senator would be allegedly caught doing something like that. I think his electorate might even think twice before reelecting him. But what concerns me is that a Senator seems to be so thoughtless in his actions. For his being not very nice in the hallway of the Russell Building, he sure seemed pretty nice to say hi to the person in the stall next to him. That was not thinking. Next, he should have made it public knowledge and just been done with it. It is a petty situation but not reporting it to those who care about it made it stink.

But the thing that alarms me is that he isn’t willing to fight. For a man who sits in Senator William Edgar Borah’s seat and perhaps even behind his very desk, he seems shameful. The Lion of Idaho would be ashamed a man would falter and not raise his mighty fist to the party. What comes first? Idaho or Republicans? Senator Borah was known for standing for principle, for his state, and not ever being dictated to by the party. This man seems to be weak and willing to forfeit what he was elected to in Idaho for what the party thinks elsewhere. I still don’t hear many people calling for his resignation in Idaho. It is elsewhere, some of his own selfish companions in the Senate. What happened to principle? What happened to standing up for something? What happened to honor and integrity. Well, we don’t really know what happened in that stall. Whatever it was, I hope his honour and integrity is still intact. But sadly, it doesn’t appear to be.

A straight man doing actions confused with being gay? A Senator claimed to be doing something in a bathroom stall? A State Representative faltering to a Party? If he is a good man, he will stand up and serve the remainder of his term, regardless of who calls for his resignation. He has nothing against him which disqualifies him from finishing his term. A Misdemeanor does not remove a Senator from office. Even an Ethics Committee wouldn’t remove him for that. If he serves Idaho, he will remain. If he serves the party, he will leave. If such is the case, good riddance. Let’s find us another man to honorably fill Senator Borah’s shoes.